Education Law Center - Pa

TO ENSURE ACCESS TO A QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN PENNSYLVANIA.

SEE SCHEDULE OTHE EDUCATION LAW CENTER'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO A QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN PENNSYLVANIA BY FOCUSING ON THE MOST UNDERSERVED STUDENDS, INCLUDEING CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY, CHILDREN OF COLOR, CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS, CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, LGBTQ AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH, PREGNANT AND PARENTING STUDENTS, AND CHILDREN AT THE INTERSECTION OF THESE IDENTITITES. THROUGH PENNSLVANIA AND NATIONALLY, ELC IS A KNOWN COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND LEADER IN PUBLIC EDUCATION ADOVCACY. OVER THE PAST 46 YEARS, ELC HAS WORKED TO PROVIDE BOTH IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENS AND ADVANCE SYSTEMS-LEVEL REFORMS THAT BENEFIT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNDERSERVED STUDENTS THORUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA. OUR THREE PRIORITY AREAS ARE:ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: ELC WORKS TO REMOVE EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS THROUGH DIRECT REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY AND THE PROVISION OF RIGHTS-BASED INFORMATION, SELF-ADVOCACY TOOLS, AND OTHER RESOURCES.ADVOCATING FOR FAIR EDUCAITON FUNDING: ELC USES A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO PUSH FOR THE CHANGES NEEDED TO ADDRESS PENNSYLVANIA'S SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS. WE ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE FOR FAILURE TO FUND PUBIC EDUCATION UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTION; THE TRIAL BEGAN NOVEMBER 12 AND IS LIKELY TO LAST INTO JANUARY. DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE: ELC WORKS TO ELIMINATE EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE PRACTICES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND LGBTQ AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH, INCLUDING A STRONG FOCUS ON SUPPORTING BLACK GIRLS.OUR PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCING EACH OF OUR PRIORITY AREAS INCLUDE DIRECT REPRESENTATION, IMPACT LITIGATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, POLICY ADVOCACY AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS.WE AIM BOTH TO HELP INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AND TO CREATE LASTING SYSTEMIC REFORMS TO IMPACT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA. FOR EXAMPLE, WE OPERATE THE EDUCATION HELPLINE-PROVIDING INFORMATION/ADVICE, REFERRAL, LEGAL CONSULTATION, AND/OR DIRECT REPRESENTATION/ADVOCACY TO HELP OVER 1,200 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. THIS IS THE ONLY FREE LEGAL SERVICE SOLELY FOCUSED ON HELPING STUDENTS ACCESS A QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE ALSO FILE SYSTEMIC COMPLAINTS TO BRING ABOUT LARGER REFORMS. FOR EXAMPLE, ELC HAS ENGAGED IN SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES CAN ACCESS THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO WHICH THEY ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED.WE HAVE ALSO FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ONGOING SYSTEMIC RACISM, AND HOW THESE FORCES PRESENT NEW AND EXACERBATED EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS FOR MANY PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SCHOOL CLOSURERS AND REMOTE LEARNING HAVE FORCED ELC AND OUR COMMUNITY TO NAVIGATE NOVEL SITUATIONS IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. ELC HAS REMAINED STEADFAST IN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES THROUGH DIRECT RESPRESENTATION AND SYSTEMIC AND POLICY ADVOCACY.THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIOECONOMIC PRIVILEGE AND IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CAN IN PART BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE PENNSYLVANIA'S INADEQUATE, INEQUITABLE, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL FUNDING OF SCHOOLS AND TO OTHER SYSTEMS THAT REINFORCE SYSTEMIC RACISM, WHICH DEEPLY IMPACT EDUCATION QUALITY AND EDUCATION ACCESS FOR STUDENTS LIVING IN POVERTY AND STUDENTS OF COLOR. DURING THE PANDEMIC, SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY SERVE BLACKA AND LATINX STUDENTS, LACKED ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS COULD ACCCESS A QUALITY EDUCATION VIA REMOTE OR HYBRID MODELS. WHILE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY REOPEN IN PERSON BECAUSE THEY COULD ENSURE SAFE, VENTILATED SPACES, UNDERFUNDED DISTRICTS LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA HAD TO REMAIN LARGELY VIRTUAL. THIS HAS BEEN AN HISTORIC YEAR FOR ELC. AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF WORK, OUR LEGAL TEAM HAS JUST CONCLUDED A FOUR-MONTH TRIAL IN COMMONWEALTH COURT IN HARRISBURG IN OUR LANDMARK FAIR FUNDING LITIGATION. THE GOALS OF OUR LAWSUIT ARE TO HAVE THE COURT IN HARRISBURG IN OUR LANDMARK FAIR FUNDING LITIGATION. THE GOALS OF OUR LAWSUIT ARE TO HAVE THE COURT DECLARE PENNSYLANIA'S CURRENT SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND TO ORDER THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A FUNDING SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MEET STATE ACADEMIC STANDARDS, AND THAT PREPARES THEM FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION.WE ASSEMBLED A POWERFUL CASE CHALLENGING A SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM WHERE THE STUDENTS WHO NEED MOST GET THE LEAST BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY LIVE. ELC FIRST FILED THE LAWSUIT, WILLIAM PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT ET AL. PA DEPT. OF ED. ET AL., CHALLENGING PENNSYLVANIA'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE A "THOROUGH AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION," IN 2014. IN 2017, THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT CLEARED OUR CASE TO GO TO TRIAL (WHICH STARTED ON NOVEMBER 12, 2021 AND LASTED FOUR MONTHS). LEADING UP TO THIS, ELC AND OUR PARTNERS EXCHANGED OVER 100,000 PAGES OF DOCUMENTS, TOOK OR DEFENDED 75 DEPOSITIONS, AND PRODUCED 14 EXPERT REPORTS OR REBUTTAL REPORTS. THE CASE HAS GENERATED EXTENSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE, BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERFUNDED SCHOOLS. WE NOW AWAIT A DECISON AND ANTICIPATE AN APPEAL TO PENNSYLVANIA'S SUPREME COURT BY THE LOSING PARTY. THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS UNDERTAKING FOR ELC AND OUR PARTNERS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA IS AT STAKE. PENNSYLVANIA'S CURRENT METHOD OF FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION VIOLATES THE PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTION'S EDUCATION CLAUSE AND ITS EQUAL PROTECTION PROVISIONS. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE CAN BE FOUND HERE: WWW.FUNDOURSCHOOLSPA.ORG. WE CONTINUE TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED BY THIS CASE. WHILE WE ADVANCE THIS LANDMARK LITIGATION THAT COULD IMPACT GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUES ON STUDENTS' DAY-TO-DAY ACCESS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION. OUR 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE INCLUDES NEW PUBLICATIONS ON VARIOUS EDUCATION TOPICS TO HELP FAMILIES SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND NEW SELF-ADVOCACY TOOLS THAT PRIORITZE FAMILIES' TOP CONCERNS, WHICH WE LEARNED ABOUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. OUR FREE SELF-ADVOCACY TOOLS INCLUDE FILLABLE FORMS AND TEMPLATES THAT FAMILIES CAN EASILY ACCESS AND USE, SUCH AS: REQUEST FOR ATTENDANCE RECORD CORRECTION; REQUEST FOR EVALUATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION; REQUEST FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES; AND OTHERS.